Second Time Around
by Chunk127
Summary: What might have happened when Buffy and Angel met in season 6


Buffy is owned by Joss Whedon

Meeting during Season 6

* * *

Angel drove halfway to Sunnydale he's still trying to figure out what to say. Should he apologize for once again leaving her to die alone? It really says a lot when Xander Harris of all people can hold up his head and say yeah you might have gotten the girl but for one shining moment I had more testes then you ever did Deadboy. Angel pulls up and sees her she must have driven like a maniac to get here, or like herself, it's pretty much the same thing. Angel walks up and he imagined a thousand different things that could happen but he can honestly say Buffy walking up to him and punching him in the face so hard he falls to the floor hits his head on a rock and passes out was not one of them.

* * *

Buffy gently prods Angel awake seeing the vampire open his beautiful eyes. "Oh thank god I thought I killed you."

"I'll live." Angel assured her.

"Good" Buffy wasted no time and kicked him the ribs before he can get up.

Angel blocked her next kick and knocked her down by taking her legs out from under her. "Why do you keep hitting me?"

"Because I remember jackass!" Buffy replied getting back to her feet as she pounces on Angel knocking them both tumbling down a hill with Buffy ending up on top as she punches Angel in the face three more times.

Angel caught Buffy's hand and threw her off, someone's going to get really hurt soon if they don't stop and odds are it will be him. She looks beautiful but she's so angry. "Buffy, what do you remember?"

Buffy looked at him sure it might have taken that moment in death where your entire life flashes before your eyes as your deep fried by mystical energy but she told him before. "I told you when it happened that I'll never forget. And I never forgot. It was just buried deep down…" Buffy looked at him with gentle tears starting to show. "How could you do that to me?"

Angel frowned he never had even thought of that. It was so long ago in what seems like an endless war with Wolfram and Hart he almost forgot what it was like to be human. He had one day as a human with Buffy and it was the greatest day of his life. "How much do you remember?"

"I remember everything, the whole kit and caboodle." Buffy answered. "I remember the demon with the nightlight blood, I remember you becoming human, I remember cookie dough fudge mint chip and the best night of my life until you took it all away without even talking to me."

Angel frowned at the choice he second guesses everyday. "I thought I was doing what was right. I thought I could better protect you as a monster instead of a man. I was trying to make sure you lived a long healthy life."

Buffy rolled her eyes at him. "Good job I got two years."

Angel sighed and looked into Buffy's eyes. She is as beautiful as ever but her eyes, they've lost a lot of their playfulness since he left. "What about commando boy?"

Buffy put her hand up and stopped him immediately. "Don't even go there. I learned a lot about him too and let's just say I'm glad I missed the bus… or helicopter in this case."

Angel looked him personally he thought Riley was a twerp that didn't deserve her but he seemed to make her happy. "What was so bad about GI Joe?"

"Let's just say the vampire whore house was actually a step up before that. Guy was seducing vampires and staking them like a serial killer… You know like ones that hunt other serial killers."

Angel nodded. "Yeah I actually had something like that happen to me last week." Thanks Gunn's old crew.

Buffy sat down and frowned realizing she lashed out at Angel and kicking his ass was the most passionate thing she has done since she got back.

Angel looked at her carefully oh they didn't. Willow you fucking child! "You went to the good place didn't you?"

Buffy shrugged. "I honestly don't know. I just remember being calm and content just knowing that everything and everyone is OK. Now I'm back and once again fighting evil and I feel… I'm just… warming my hands on a fire."

Angel looked at her not sure how to respond. Buffy sometimes speaks in her own language and he's not there yet. "Is that a vampire crack about lack of body heat? Because I never know with you?"

Buffy shakes her head no. "No, it's just everyone has that fire in their eyes something they want so much they'll do whatever it takes to get it. Mine was keeping Dawn safe. Now I've done that, died for it, and now… here I am and I want nothing, no hopes, no nothing, I'm just keeping my hands warm on someone else's fire."

"I think I get it." Angel answered still not sure. "Do I have to go with the fire thing?"

Buffy shrugged. "Be thankful I'm not talking about me and guys."

Angel sat down next to her not believing this. He thought Willow knew better considering Buffy wanted to marry Spike last time she used petty magic. "Buffy I don't have any answers I don't even know what to say. But what I do know is you can't give up on the world. You'll get your fire back."

Buffy looked at him. "I know… can I ask you something?"

Angel looked at her now is not really the time to keep quiet. "Sure"

Buffy looked at him. "Even as you are now. Have you ever thought about coming back to Sunnydale?"

Angel looked at her this is a bag of worms they both never bury. "Buffy, I do a lot of good in LA."

"But it had its price." Buffy countered. "On both of us"

Angel sat confused this certainly wasn't the eighteen year old girl he left in Sunnydale. She grew up strong but cold and isolated as well. "I have a pretty good life."

Buffy rolled her eyes. How does someone live for a quarter of a millennium and still can't tell a damn lie. "Yeah it's so good you lock up a bunch of people with Darla and Drusilla."

"In my defense… they were lawyers." Angel pointed out. "How did you know that?"

"Cordy told me but mom was sick and then she died so I didn't exactly have time to stop by and set you straight." Buffy answered.

Angel frowned. "Let me guess not mad just disappointed."

Buffy shakes her head emptily. "Not anything, I'm so screwed up right now the only person I've had meaningful dialogue with besides you is Spike."

"I thought that smelled familiar." Angel quipped causing Buffy to smile a bit.

Buffy looked up to him. "Do you still think about me?" Buffy asked.

"Every day" Angel answered not even hesitating.

Buffy looked up to him. "Can you… can we…?"

Angel frowned and got to his feet. "Buffy, we both know we can't."

"Why?" Buffy asked getting back to her feet. "The curse, do you honestly think you can actually have a genuine moment of perfect happiness ever again knowing what would happen if you do."

"And what if we do?" Angel answered. "What if we let Angelus out?"

Buffy looked at him. "Willow has become all super junkie witch lately I'm willing to bet that she can actually make that soul stuck to you for good. Even if not most relationships work on 99.9% of marginal happiness anyway at best even Tara and Willow have their fights."

Angel looked at her. "It wouldn't be right… we can't just get back together like that and you know why?"

Buffy face dropped and she looked at him. "So you can go back to boinking Darla."

Angel was pretty sure his face would change color right now if it still could. "How did you know?"

"You just told me." Buffy answered. "Though I had a pretty good feeling that's why Darla wasn't with Dru when she came to Sunnydale. I figured Dru worked on Spike while she worked on you."

Angel sat down and saw the mess Buffy was in and how oblivious her 'friends' were to it but likely because she was keeping them in the dark and they're just happy to have her back. He misses her he truly does and he kept fighting just to honor her because he knew that's what Buffy would do. "I can't leave LA for long. It's where I belong and as much as I love being around you I do more good there then in Sunnydale."

Buffy looked at him and nodded. "No biggie, I can manage a long term relationship thingie."

Angel nodded seeing her smile for the first time since he got here he wonders she went through without him and how she got so cold from it. "One more thing and you're not going to like it."

"I'm listening." Buffy assured him.

Angel took a breath even though he didn't need it. "You need to sing for a friend of mine."

"What?" Buffy asked.

"Don't feel too bad, I have to sing too." Angel added. "He'll help us and set us on track to make this a reality. If we can? If you want to?"

"I do" Buffy assured him it's all she ever thought of. "You know LA has done wonders for you. You don't brood nearly as much and you're much easier to talk to."

Angel laughed. "Well you missed a couple things in the past two years. And I also know you can run a household you're Buffy there isn't anything you can't do you're just too scared to try."

Buffy genuinely smiled for the first time since coming back. "Likewise… do you want to catch up?"

They both got up and headed to Angel's car. They don't know if they can make it work but they're both willing to try. They'll lean on each other and hopefully find the strength they need to put last year behind them and move on with their lives. Angel knows Buffy can run her house and look out for Dawn as Buffy knows Angel can be a much better person then who he has become. They leave ready to try to get it right this time.

* * *

Author's Notes

Angel actually does learn of Marginal bliss thanks to Wes close to the finale and look at all the miraculous crap that had to happen in Angel's fantasy just to get him to lose it again. And as weird as it is while I don't think Buffy/Angel works on BTVS I could have seen these two working together before Jasmine pretty much destroys Angel's life and I just hate what they did to Buffy in S6+7 and especially Angel in S8.

I was going to have this be a Nightmare Xander has while Buffy's away but he knew too much for it not to be real. I also left it open ended can they give it a shot or did Lorne crush them and that is why Buffy's relationship with fire worsens. Up to you.


End file.
